Power pressure setting wringer



Sheet of 4 L. H. GUTKNECHT May 13, 1969 POWER PRESSURE SETTING WRINGER Filed Aug. 8, 1966 U S1 efqyz May 13, 1969 L. H. GUTKNECHT POWER PRESSURE SETTING WRINGER Sheet Filed Aug. 8, 1966 WW: if o May 13, 1969 l.. H. GUTKNECHT 3,443,408

POWER PRESSURE SETTING WRINGER Filed Aug. 8. l

sheet 5 @f4 May 13, 1969 H. GUTKNECHT 3,443,408

POWER PRESSURE SETTING WRINGER Filed Aug. 8, 1966 United States Patent O 3,443,408 POWER PRESSURE SETTING WRINGER Leroy H. Gutknecht, Hudson, Iowa, assignor to Lovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa. Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 570,945 Int. Cl. D06f 45/04 U.S. Cl. 68-253 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A power pressure setting wringer having rolls and means to maintain pressure thereon, and wherein such means are moved to pressure sustaining position of after release by operating mechanism associated with the driven roll, the structure including :manually actuated pressure release means operable at any time.

This invention or discovery relates to improvements in a power pressure setting wringer, and more particularly to a wringer of the type embodying a pair of pressurized rolls between which wet material is passed to squeeze the liquid therefrom by roll pressure, the wringer being highly desirable for use in connection with household washing machines, as well as other laundry and drying equipment, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Heretofore, many and various types of pressure setting and pressure release mechanisms have been incorporated in wringers to facilitate their operation and provide safety in case of accident. To set or reset pressure on the rolls, various linkages have been provided which were manipulated most frequently by a hand operated lever, requiring in many cases the exercise of an objectionable amount of strenth on the part of the operator. Should the operators hand slip off the lever just as pressure was almost co;mpletely set, the resultant recoil of the mechanism and kick back of the lever could provide a painful injury. It has therefore become desirable to set or reset pressure on the rolls by power emanating from the same power source that drives the rolls.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a wringer having adjacent rolls therein and provided with simple operative means to set or reset pressure on the rolls by power from the same source that drives the rolls.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a roll type wringer lwherein pressure is set or reset on the rolls by power from the source which drives the rolls, and which wringer is also provided with means whereby pressure on the rolls maybe released even during the operation of setting that pressure.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a roll type wringer in which pressure may be placed upon the rolls by power from the source driving the rolls in an exceedingly short time.

Also a feature of this invention is the provision of a roll type wringer provided with power pressure setting means and with which it is only necessary for the operator by a simple movement to engage a pressure sensitive clutch which automatically declutches when the rolls are under pressure.

A still further desideratum of this invention is the provision of a roll type wringer having power pressure setting means operable through a pressure sensitive clutch, and pressure release means so arranged as to remove all pressure upon the rolls and at the same time insure a declutching of the power pressure setting means.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of this invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following r'ce FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and elevational View of the structure taken from the left-hand end of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional View taken substantially as indicated by the line IV--IV of FIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the clutch disengaged;

FIGURE 5 is a view of the same 4character as FIGURE 4, but showing the clutch engaged;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the intermediate link of the toggle mechanism which sustains pressure on the rolls;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of an extra lever plate associated with the toggle linkage to actuate the same to release pressure and to disengage the clutch means embodied in the power pressure setting mechanism; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of the drain neck in the bottom frame member.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS In general, the instant invention comprises a wringer including a frame, fabricated in any suitable manner, and including a horizontal channel member with upstanding end stiles thereon. Upper and lower rollers are mounted between the end stiles above the channel member and suitably mounted spring cages acting upon the journals of the rollers provide pressure. Toggle linkage means disposed below the channel member actuate mernbers disposed to bias the spring cages downwardly and set the roll pressure. Pivotal release bars are provided extending along and spaced from the upper wringer roll for releasing pressure in cases of emergency or when desired for other reasons. Pressure setting and resetting means connected to a part of the toggle linkage are carried on the outboard end stile with drive means therefor connected to the extended end of the driven roll shaft so that pressure may be applied to the rolls by way of power from the same source that drives the rolls. An added link is provided adjacent the toggle linkage in position to operate in an emergency should the operator have a iinger or hand caught between the rolls during the application of pressure to the rolls to both declutch the power pressure setting means and at the same time insure complete release of pressure on the rolls.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a frame comprising a channel shaped bottom member 1 to which an outboard end stile 2 and an inboard end stile 3 are connected. Between the end stiles, and superposed in the illustrated embodiment, are a pair of rolls, a lower roll 4 and an upper roll 5. As seen in FIGURE 1, the shaft 6 of the lower roll rests upon a stationary half-bearing 7 disposed in each end stile. The upper roll shaft 8 is disposed with each of its journals beneath a bearing member 9 carried by a slidable spring cage 10, the cages 10-10 being of identical construction.

The mountings for the spring cages include adequate formations in the end stiles of a known type, wherein the cages are vertically slidable. Above the slidable portion of the cage is a xed bar 11 from which depends a pair of elongated rivets 12-12. Around each rivet is a compression spring 13. Each slidable spring cage has an inwardly extending portion 14 at the top thereof which extends over the upper ends of the springs. Consequently when the spring cages are forced downwardly and held downwardly, the upper roll is forcefully brought down against the lower roll and held under whatever pressure the springs in their desired state of compression provide. The spring cages are of a generally known type, a fuller disclosure and description thereof being found in George D. Conlee U.S. Letters Patent No. 3,216,228 issued Nov. 9, 1965. As is apparent from the showings in FIGURES 1 and 2, the shafts 6 and 8 of the respectvie rolls extend between the springs in each of the spring cages so that the pressure applied by the springs is directed downwardly along a vertical plane through the axes of the shafts.

The pressure sustaining means or the overcenter toggle linkage by which the pressure is applied to the rolls and then maintained until released is best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2. It will be noted that the bottom channel 1 has a drain aperture centrally thereof, and around this drain aperture is a depending neck 16 around which the central link of the toggle mechanism rotates, there being suitable spacer washers of nylon or equivalent material used where deemed necessary.

The intermediate link 17 of the toggle linkage is in the nature of a free-form plate having an aperture 18 therein to pass over the drain neck 16 and this aperture is surrounded on the underside of the plate by depending lip 19 to provide more bearing surface around the drain neck. This link 17 is provided with diametrically opposed notches 20-20 leading outwardly from the aperture 18 so that the plate may be passed over diametrically opposed outwardly bent lugs 21-21 on the drain neck 16. When the plate passes over these lugs, it is then turned relatively to the drain neck, and when the plate is connected to other links in the toggle system, the notches can never again reach a position where they can pass yby the lugs 21-21. ln this manner, the central toggle link 17 is held in position around the drain neck and the necessity of utilizing a cross bolt for this purpose is eliminated. The link 17 is also provided with an extension terminating in an offset lip 22 apertured for connection to a pull rope ferrule. In addition, the link is provided a pair of spaced apertures, diametrically opposed with respect to the aperture 18, to establish pivotal connection points 23 and 24. This link 17 is turned over laterally from right to left as viewed in FIGURE 7, and connected over the drain neck in substantially the position seen in FIGURE 2, the entire toggle linkage being in position to sustain pressure on the wringer rolls, as viewed in FIGURE 2.

Pivoted at one end thereof to the link 17 at point 23 is an intermediately channeled L-shaped link 25. The other end of this link 25 is loosely pivoted by a pin 26 to the web 27 of a generally U-shaped link or lever having upstanding arms or wings 28-28 which straddle the end stile 2 of the wringer frame. Each wing 28 has an extended portion carrying a laterally disposed lug 30 which overlies an ear 31 projecting through `a suitable slot in the end stile and which ear is secured to the slidable spring cage 10 so that when the U-shaped lever is pivoted by action of the toggle link 25 thereon the lugs 30 will bear down upon the ears 31, forcing down the spring cage and applying pressure to the rolls. Another L-shaped lever 32, the same as the lever 25, has one end pivoted to the center link 17 at the point 24, and the other end loosely pivoted by a pin 33 to the web 34 of another U-shaped lever with upstanding wings that is identical with the wings 28-28 and which acts upon the opposite spring cage in the same manner as above described. Consequently, when the center link 17 is partially rotated counterclockwise to the position seen in FIGURE 2, the lower ends of the U-shaped levers will have been drawn in, pressure applied to the springs, and held by virtue of the fact that the pivot pins 23 and 24 are over-center or on opposite sides of the center line between the pivot pins 26 and 33. When, by means later to be described, the pivot points 23 and 24 are moved each to the opposite side of the center line, the springs take over and the lever 17 is partially rotated clockwise, with the other parts moving accordingly and pressure is released on the rolls. This toggle linkage is quite similar to and functions in the same general way as the toggle linkage shown and described more fully in the aforesaid Conlee patent. Insofar as the toggle linkage above described is concerned, the real distinction between it and that of the aforesaid Conlee patent resides in the fact that in the Conlee patent the linkage is moved to pressure sustaining position by hand, while in the instant invention power pressure setting means act upon the linkage. Further, Conlee has not mounted the center link of the toggle arrangement in the matter above described, but relies upon the use of a cross Ibolt. The major portion of the power pressure setting means is carried by or associated with a channel shaped bracket 35 having its base portion riveted as at 36 or equivalently secured to the outboard end stile 2 of the wringer frame. This channel bracket is provided with laterally flaring wings 35a and 35b to which the wringer shroud may be connected, and to the wing 35b in the illustrated instance one end of the tension spring 37 is connected and the other end is connected to one of the arms or wings 28 of the adjacent U-shaped lever, above described. This spring prevents both the U-shaped pressure applying levers from becoming out of position relatively to the lugs 31 on the spring cages when the parts are in pressure released position.

As seen best in FIGURES 1 and 2, the lower roll shaft 6 is longer than has heretofore been customary, and this shaft extends through suitable openings in the end stile 2 and base of the channel bracket 35. It will be understood that the opposite end of this shaft y6 is connected to a suitable wringer gear head, which is driven by a motor located in any desirable portion of the apparatus with which the wringer is associated, usually a washing machine, there being a showing of such a gear head in the aforesaid Conlee patent.

On the outboard end of the longer roll shaft 6, as seen best in FIGURES 4 and 5, is a double pulley 38 having a free groove 39 therein for manipulating the pulley, and a second groove 40 with which a cable may be reeled. This pulley floats freely on the shaft 6 and is prevented from moving olf the end of the shaft by means of a cross strip 41 secured to the side walls of the channel bracket 35 and extending across the outboard end of the shaft 6. Extending from the inner face of the pulley is a plurality of clutch teeth 42, circumferenti-ally spaced. The number of these teeth is not critical, four of them being satisfactory. These teeth have slopping side faces terminating in an apex at the inner end thereof. Inwardly of the teeth, a clutch rod 43 extends through the shaft and is firmly secured therein, this rod or bar being substantially triangular in cross section with the apex directed toward the pulley 38 and with the sides thereof leading from the apex having the same slope as the clutch teeth. Consequently, when the pulley is in the position shown in FIGURE 4, out of engagement with the clutch bar 43, the pulley need not rotate with the shaft 6. When the pulley is in the position seen in FIGURE 5, with its teeth engaged with the bar 43, the pulley will be rotated by the shaft 6.

The pulley clutch is moved axially of the shaft 6 and is retained in engaged or disengaged position by means of a spring biased over-center linkage. This linkage includes a channel shaped link 44, FIGURE 3, the side walls of which extend downwardly in the form of arms 45 and 46. The link is pivotal about a cross rod 47 passing through the arms 45 and 46. Extending inwardly from each of the arms 45 and 46 is a pin 48, this being a lixed pin having its free end inside the groove 39 of the pulley clutch 38. When the link 44 is pivoted in either direction the pulley clutch is moved axially of the shaft 6 by these pins. At the lower end thereof the arm 45 carries another inwardly extending pin 49 embraced by a bifurcated extension 50 on a lower link 51 pivotal about a cross rod 52 and fixedly secured at its lower end to the horizontal leg of an L-shaped lever 53. A spring 54, under a predetermined tension, is anchored at one end to the upper portion of the lever 44 and at its lower end to the lever 53. Consequently, when the pivot connection 49-50 is outward of the vertical plane through the cross rods 47 and 52, a link 44 will have been pivoted so that the pins 48-48 will have moved the pulley clutch outwardly into the disengaged position of FIGURE 4, whereas when the pivotal connection 49-50 is inwardly of the plane through the cross rods 47 and 52, the pulley will have moved to the clutched position of FIGURE 5. In either case, the pull of the spring 54 will retain the pulley clutch in its respective position against a predetermined amount of force required to shift the pulley clutch.

A exible cable 55 has one end connected to the pulley 38 as indicated at 56 so the cable may be reeled within the pulley groove 40. This cable passes freely through a ferrule 57 connected to the lip 22 of the center toggle plate 17 as seen in FIGURES l and 2. The opposite end of the cable is connected to a spring 58 anchored to a portion of the wringer frame at the inboard end of the wringer, as seen best in FIGURE 2. This cable is provided with a xed abutment 59 firmly secured to the cable. The abutment is of such size that it will not pass through the ferrule 57. Consequently, as the cable is reeled upon the pulley 38 the abutment 59 will force the center link 17 of the toggle mechanism counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2 to the position seen in the same figure and thus apply pressure to the wringer roll. When there is no pressure on the rolls the toggle linkage will be in such position that the lip 22 of the center link 17 will be adjacent the abutment 59. As best seen in FIG- URE 3 a bracket frame 60 secured to the channel bracket 35 carries a freely mounted guide or direction change pulley 61 for the cable 55.

Pressure is applied to the wringer rolls with the aid of a rigid rod 62 having one end turned in connected to 4the upstanding leg of the aforesaid L-shaped lever 53 and the other inturned end slidable within a slot 63 in a depending ange 64 on a rotary pressure release lever 65. A tension member 66 terminated at the inboard end of the wringer is connected to the rod 62. When pressure is off the rolls and it is desired to re-set that pressure, it is a simple expedient for the operator to pull on the tension member 66 sufficiently to overcome the action of the spring 54 on the clutch shifting linkage and pivot that linkage so the pulley clutch is moved from the position of FIGURE 4 to the position of FIGURE 5 engaged with the cross bar on the shaft 6. The clutch will then be driven by the shaft, winding up the cable 55 and moving the toggle linkage to the position seen in FIGURE 2 with pressure on the rolls. When pressure is fully applied to the rolls and no fu1ther movement of the toggle linkage is possible, the clutch teeth 42 will be cammed out of engagement with the bar 43 against the action of the spring 54. And the pulley clutch will be automatically moved to disengaged position by the clutch being shifted sufficiently for the linkage controlling the same to be moved to the opposite over-center position, where it is retained by the spring 54 until the operator again pulls the tension member 66. The cable pulley is therefore a pressure sensitive clutch, responding to a predetermined pressure to overcome the strength of the spring 54 and automatically move to disengaged position. Immediately after the automatic de-clutching the spring 58 restores the cable 55 to original position, there being no resistance on the pulley 38, to avoid any delay in the next pressure setting operation and to avoid any possibility of snagging the cable upon pressure release.

There is a preferred proportion as to tension of the spring 54, the diameter of the pulley at the base of the groove 40, and the angle of the clutch teeth 42. The tooth angle 67, as seen in FIGURE 4, between median axial line of a tooth and the sloping face on either side thereof is preferably 30 degrees, the drum diameter 1.25 inches, and this arrangement requires spring 54 to have a l0 pound tension in order to hold the clutch in engagement until -customary pressure between the rolls is applied. With such dimensions, pressure is established on the rolls in a manner of less than 5 seconds. Should the tooth angle 67 be 45 degrees, for example, the pulley diameter at the base of groove 40 is preferably reduced to 0.9375 inch and the needed tension of spring 54 would be approximately 18 pounds, and approximately 7.5 seconds would be needed to establish customary pressure on the rolls. Should the drum remain at 1.25 inches diameter with a 45 degree tooth angle, the necessary tension of the spring 54 would then be 25 to '30 pounds. Consequently, the preferred 30 degree tooth angle with a 1.25 pulley diameter provides the least necessary spring tension and the fastest pressure setting operation for practical and efficient construction.

With the instant invention, pressure release means are provided which not only function in an emergency during operation of the wringer and when it is desired to release pressure, but also function to de-clutch the power pressure setting means, in the event an accident or emergency occurs While pressure is being applied to the rolls, and also insure immediate removal of the partial pressure so far applied. With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be seen that the emergency release means include a pair of U-shaped frames `68 and 69 one on each side of the wringer and to the top of these frames the usual decorative release bars 70 and 71 are connected, respectively. The frames are interconnected s0 that the actuation of one results in the actuation of the other as set forth more fully in the aforesaid Conlee patent. In this instance, however, to insure de-clutching in an emergency while pressure is being applied to the rolls, the extra rotary pressure release lever 65 has been added. This lever is shown in FIGURE 7 of the drawings and comprises a free form plate-like lever having an aperture 72 therein with diametrically opposed notches 73--73 leading outwardly from the aperture so that the plate may be slid over the drain neck 16 past the laterally extending lugs 21-21 on that plate and then rotated to a position from which it cannot return to have the notches again coincide with the lugs, in the manner the central link 17 of the toggle mechanism is mounted. A lug 74 is struck out of the plate in an intermediate location and bent to depend therebelow, and a depending flange 75 is provided opposite to the aforesaid depending flange 64.

This rotary pressure release lever is rotated 180 degrees left from the position of FIGURE 7 and mounted on the drain neck 16 as above described, preceding the mountin-g of the central toggle link 17 so that the release lever 65 is disposed above the toggle link. With reference to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that when the release lever 65 is positioned, and the toggle linkage assembled therebeneath, the depending lug 74 from the release lever will Vbe abutting a shoulder 76 on the central toggle link 17 to one side of the aperture in the toggle link. Atthe same time, a shoulder 77 on the release lever ywill be abutted on its outer face by a lug 7 S depending from the U-shaped release frame 69 and another lug 79 depending from the same release frame will abut the inside face of the flange 75 depending from the release lever 65. The release lever is maintained so that all said depending lugs are in contact with their respective abutments by means of a spring 80 connected at one end to the release lever and at the other end to the bottom member 1 of the wringer frame. With this arrangement, it will be seen that a push on the release bar 71 will cause the lug 79 to turn the release lever clockwise as seen in FIGURE 2 and the lug 74 thereon will force the center link of the toggle mechanism over-center and release pressure on the rolls. If the lever is'pulled, the lug 78 will actuate the release lever clockwise and accomplish the same result.

When the toggle linkage is in released position, the power pressure setting means de-clutched, a pull on the tension member 66 to engage the clutch will move the rod 62 so that its end will abut the opposite end of the slot 63 and the flange 64 on the release lever from the showing in FIGURE 2. Therefore, if pressure is being applied, and any accident occurs, and a release bar is actuated, the corresponding clockwise rotation of the release lever 65 will push the rod 62 so as to immediately de-clutch the power drive means. This same movement insures an irnmediate release of the pressure sustaining toggle linkage in the manner :above described, in the event that toggle linkage has almost reached over-center position.

The general operation of the instant invention is apparent yfrom the foregoing. It is a simple expedient, assuming pressure is off the wvringer rolls, for the operator to pull the tension member 66 to clutch the power pressure setting mechanism, and in a matter of seconds the rolls are under pressure and the setting mechanism has been automatically rde-clutched. Should an emergency arise during the operation of setting the pressure, a simple push or pull on the release bar will instantly de-clutch the mechanism and also insure that the toggle linkage assumes full pressure released position. The same release bars may be pushed or pulled to release pressure at any time during operation. The entire structure is simple as to its mechanism, easily assembled, highly durable, and economical to manufacture.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wringer,

a frame,

pressure rolls in said frame including a power driven roll,

a shaft in each said roll,

pressure applying means to act on said rolls,

a linkage to operate said means and hold the same in pressure applying position,

a member connected to a part of said linkage to move the same into pressure holding position,

operating means connected to said mem'ber and actuated by the shaft of said driven roll to operate said member and move said linkage into pressure sustaining position, and

manually operable pressure release means arranged to render said operating means ineective at any time during the application of pressure to said rolls.

2. In a wringer,

a frame,

pressure rolls in said frame including a power driven roll having a shaft therein,

pressure applying means to act on said rolls,

a linkage to operate said means and hold the same in pressure applying position,

a flexible cable connected to a part of said linkage to move the same into pressure holding position,

an element having diametnally opposed portions with sloping faces thereon fixed to the shaft of said driven roll,

a pulley to which said cable is connected oating on said shaft and movable axially thereof, and

teeth on said pulley for engagement with said element.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the pulley teeth each have sloping faces at an angle of 30 to 45 between a face and the axial center line of the tooth, and

the faces on said element have the same angle of slope,

whereby said pulley is cammed out of engagement with said element when full pressure is applied to said rolls.

4. The structure of claim 3, including an overcenter linkage to move said pulley axially of said shaft,

spring means to bias said overcenter linkage on either side of center position, and

manually operable means to move said overcenter linkage against the action of said spring means to engage the pulley teeth with said element.

5. The structure of claim 2, including a spring connected to said cable to unwind the same from said pulley rwhen said pulley teeth are disengaged from said element.

6. The structure of claim 2, including manually operable pressure release means, and

rigid means operable in response to 1a movement of said release means to move said pulley and the teeth thereon out of engagement fwith said element.

7. In a wringer,

a frame,

pressure rolls in said frame including a power driven roll,

a shaft in each said roll,

pressure applying means to act on said rolls,

a linkage to operate said means and hold the same in n pressure applying position,

a member connected to a part of said linkage to move the same into pressure holding position,

operating means connected to said member and actuated by the shaft of said driven roll to operate said member and move said linkage into pressure sustaining position,

said frame having a drain opening in the bottom thereof,

a depending neck around said drain opening,

spaced laterally bent lugs on the lower end of said neck, and

said linkage including 4a plate-like link apertured to t over said neck and having spaced notches adjacent the aperture to pass over said lugs,

whereby said link may be positioned on said neck, rotated relatively to said neck and connected to adjacent links with said notches out of alignment with said lugs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,581 8/1927 McClean 68-253 X 1,817,604 8/1931 Behan 68-253 X 2,214,095 9/1940 Watts 68-253 2,231,651 2/1941 Altorfer 68-253 2,734,371 2/1956 Thiele 68-253 2,766,604 10/1956 Thiele 68--253 3,216,228 ll/l965 Coulee 68-256 3,252,311 5/1966 Boyer 68-253 3,295,341 l/1967 Cuthbert et al. 68--256 BILLY J. WILHI'IE, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 68-256 

